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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rock — music
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. snap — to click
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. current — of water
  8. rock — a stone
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. current — happening now
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. deal — to handle
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. current — electric
  24. fork — in a road

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com